Synod Hymns Committee on Kiahk Hymns

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Happy & Blessed fast of Advent!

As we await the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ this Advent season we are filled with joy as we celebrate the story of our salvation and the mystery of the incarnation. We attend vigils and prayers and the month is filled with hymns and praises about the Messianic prophesies, the virginal birth, and the glorious incarnation. I pray that this fast is a blessed time in which we deepen our relationship with God and prepare Him a place in our hearts to be born anew.

In recent new the Holy Synod has formed a Hymns Committee, led by H.G. Bishop Makari, General Bishop of South Shobra, and includes the involvement of many well-known priests and cantors in the Church for the main goal of unifying the sources of hymns. This committee has already met twice (October 31, 2014 and November 3, 2014) and has chosen the following sources for Advent (Kiahk) Hymns:

The following were mentioned to be present at the meetings:

  • H.G. Bishop Makari, General Bishop of South Shobra (Committee Head)
  • Hegumen Isaiah El-Muharraqi, St. Mary’s Monastery of El-Muharraq
  • Fr. Youannis Halim, Youth Bishopric Hymn Board
  • Fr. Angelos Ishaak, HICS Hymns & Music Department
  • Mr. Michelle Badee Abdel-Malik, Head of HICS, Hymns & Music Department
  • Cantor Ibrahim Ayad, Teacher at Didymus Institute for Chanters and the Clerical School
  • Cantor Gad Lewis, Teacher at Didymus Institute for Chanters and HICS
  • Cantor Todari Anwar, Teacher at Didymus Institute for Chanters
  • Cantor Milad Nadi, Teacher at Didymus Institute for Chanters
  • Cantor Magdy Bekhit, Teacher at Didymus Institute for Chanters
  • Cantor Youssef Ayoub, Association (Rabetat) of Chanters in Cairo
  • Cantor Rida Barsoum, Teacher at HICS Hymns & Music Department and the Clerical School
  • Deacon Beshara Nader Attia, Secretary of Youth Bishopric Hymn Board

Some related audio resources:

Sources:

Ke Gar – Coptic Hymn for the Advent

Download Doxology of Kiahk [audio:https://davidbebawy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Doxology_of_Kiahk_-_-_.mp3|titles=Doxology of Kiahk]

Translation in English:

For when I speak about you, O cherubimic throne, my tongue never wearies, from blessing you.
+ For indeed I will go, to the house of David, to acquire a voice by which, I can speak of your honor.
For God has stood, at the borders of Judea, and joyfully granted His voice, which the tribe of Judah accepted.
+ The tribe of Judah is the Virgin, who gave birth to our Savior, and after His Birth, she remained a virgin.
Along with the voice, of Gabriel the angel, we send you greetings, O Mary the Theotokos.
+ Hail to you from God, hail to you from Gabriel, hail to you from us, saying “Hail, we exalt you.”
The holy angel Gabriel, announced to the Virgin, and after the greeting, he strengthened her saying.
+ “Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God, behold you shall conceive, and bring forth a Son.
And the Lord God shall give Him, the throne of His father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob, forever and ever.”
+ Therefore we glorify you, as the ever-Theotokos, ask the Lord on our behalf, that He may forgive us our sins.
Hail to you O Virgin, the very and true queen, hail to the pride of our race, who gave birth to Emmanuel.
+ We ask you to remember us, O our trusted advocate, before our Lord Jesus Christ, that He may forgive us our sins.